“Hold on, Rossi.” Abby’s Russian accent was thicker than usual. “I think maybe you want to fuck something else.”
“Someoneelse,” Logan said. “Like the guy sitting next to you.”
“We’ll save that for home.” I winked at Nix. “Right, babe?”
“Careful,” he stage-whispered. “They’ll be asking for video.”
The laughter continued, easy and familiar. We all had another beer and bickered about whose wipeout on the water had been the worst.
These guys were my best friends. We’d sacrificed together and won together. They’d dragged me through the worst time of my life without letting go.
Nix was laughing beside me, joining the consensus that my wipeout was the funniest. He had his hand on my thigh, and he squeezed when everyone laughed again.
My heart raced because I couldn’t let this moment slip by. What I had to say wasn’t something to toss out in the group chat or let them hear through a press release. I was moving on, and they deserved to hear it directly from me.
“Guys,” I said, but my voice was weak. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Hey, listen up.”
Like the middle of a game, time slowed. Dog’s mouth snapped shut, and Harpy stopped laughing. Nana raised a hand to quiet everyone, then looked me in the eye and nodded.
“Hey,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Before this turns into a full-on roast session, I have something to say.”
Nix smiled at me. I took his hand and looked around the table. “Nix and I are in love.”
Brody snorted. “Oh yeah? I’d have never guessed.”
A few guys chuckled, but no one else interrupted.
I let out a long breath. “That’s exactly it. You all know what Nix means to me, and we know what a season takes out of us.” I looked around again. “Nix and I can’t build a life on empty days and stolen weekends, so I’m choosing him.”
Everyone was quiet. Harpy, the only one who already knew, gave me an encouraging nod.
“I asked for a trade to the Condors,” I said. “Since Nix is their captain, it made more sense for me to move. The trade wentthrough, and the teams will announce it tomorrow. I wanted you to hear it from me first.”
Harpy lifted his beer. “It’ll suck not having you here, but you’ve found something worth protecting.” He looked at Nix, then back at me. “Take care of each other. That’s what really matters.”
A murmur of agreement helped ease the knot in my stomach.
Luca, Harpy’s husband and a professional lacrosse player, cleared his throat. “Between Harp’s travel with the Warriors and mine with the Steamrollers, it gets hard. Thankfully, the Steamrollers only travel on weekends, so we have more time than you guys would. You’re making the right call.”
Dog wiped his mouth with a napkin and shook his head. “I hate this.” He paused, then shrugged. “Not because you’re leaving. I hate it because now I’ll have to pretend I won’t miss your ugly ass in the locker room.”
“Liar,” Riley said. “You’re going to cry.”
Dog nodded. “Only because I love him.”
Brody leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “So, let me get this straight. You’re leaving a dynasty team and unlimited free meals at Nana’s to go play with Rossi in New York?”
Nix smiled. “Define ‘play with.’”
Brody laughed. “I think you can figure it out.” He shook his head. “Took you idiots long enough to figure things out.”
Abby lifted his glass, looking serious. “In Russia, we say when you choose love, you choose strength. You will be good Condor, Packy. But you will always be Warrior.”
My eyes burned, and I didn’t even try to speak.
Nana reached across the table and took one of Nix’s hands and one of mine. “Hockey ends. Love doesn’t. Any man who knows that and acts on it is doing the right thing.” She smiled. “You’ll always have a home here.”
Dog croaked, “Jesus, Nana.”
